The present invention relates to a manual assisted vertical lift bed used for increased sleeping capacity, storage and space in a confined living space. The lift bed may also provide safe operation for lowering and raising the lift bed through use of a bed frame, safety devices, and movement means.
This invention relates to a bed frame and related apparatus suitable for installation in a confined living space, such as, for example, a recreational vehicle. In confined living spaces, there is a need to maximize space for storage, living and sleeping. Generally, beds and like sleeping arrangements occupy a large quantity of available space. Various beds and apparatus for confined living spaces are known, but do not provide both efficient use of space and safe, easy transitions from storage to use positions. Particularly, if a loft bed is also used to store items in its storage position, substantially horizontal positioning is needed in both the storage and use position and positions in between to prevent shifting or falling cargo. The present invention seeks to solve the inadequacies of the prior art.
The present invention discloses, for example, an apparatus for raising and lowering a bed frame or similar platform in a confined living space. Such confined living spaces include recreational vehicles, manufactured homes, trucks, vans, apartments and homes of similar dimensions. In one embodiment, the bed lift has a bed frame connected to a control arm assembly, vertical tracks attached to at least one wall of the confined living space, glide blocks adapted to fit and glide within the vertical tracks, a control arm assembly including at least two arms each with two ends, connected to a strut, and one end of each arm connected to a structure of the confined living space, such as a wall, for example, the other end of the arm connected to the bed frame, where the arms allow a controlled substantially vertical lift or lowering of the lift bed. In one embodiment, the lift bed may be raised or lowered by one person.
In one embodiment of the present invention, a vertical lift bed may include a bed frame connected to a control arm assembly for use in a confined living space. The control arm assembly may include at least two arms each with two ends connected to a strut, one end of each arm connected to a structure of the confined living space, such as a wall, for example, the other end of the arm connected to the bed frame, where the arms allow a controlled substantially vertical lift or lowering of the lift bed. A strut may be fastened to each end of each arm or may be attached at other appropriate locations.
In one embodiment, there may be vertical tracks attached to at least one wall of the confined living space, where the vertical tracks may include limiting devices to stop the motion of the lift bed. The limiting devices may be brackets or stops and may support the lift bed in an upward position. In yet another embodiment, the control arm assembly may maintain the lift bed in a substantially horizontal position. In another embodiment of the present invention, the lift bed also includes a safety restraint that may maintain the lift bed in an upward position. In one embodiment, the lift bed is adapted to be lowered or lifted in a single motion. In another embodiment of the present invention, the struts are self-contained gas struts. In still another embodiment the struts may be gas struts, spring struts, or other types of struts such as pneumatic struts.
One embodiment of the present invention includes a bed frame connected to a movement means for use in a confined living space, track means attached to the walls of the confined living space, glide means adapted to fit and glide within the track means, and a movement means. In another embodiment, the movement means comprises at least two arms each with two ends connected to a strut, one end of each arm connected to a structure of the confined living space, such as a wall, for example, the other end of the arm connected to the bed frame, where the arms allow a controlled substantially vertical lift or lowering of the lift bed and a strut fastened to the each end of the each arm. In another embodiment, the track means may include limiting devices to stop the motion-of the lift bed. In another embodiment, the limiting devices may support the lift bed in an upward position. In yet another embodiment, the movement means may maintain the lift bed in a substantially horizontal position.
Other objectives, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description. The detailed description and the specific examples, although indicating specific embodiments of the invention, are provided by way of illustration only. Accordingly, the present invention also includes those various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention that may become apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description.